Stage Fright: Why Do We Fear Public Speaking

Once my teacher told me, when I was in school, to go in front of the class and describe what good and bad conductors of electricity are. As the subject of science was one of my favourite subjects, I gathered all my strength and went to the podium which was placed in the middle of our lecture room. My hands were full of sweat, heart tumbling inside-out, stomach knots and having a strong urge to cry out loud. I realised that speaking randomly to people is much different than speaking in front of the same people. Why would I afraid of talking in front of people whom I met and talked every day?

Stage fright is common among adolescents and in adults as well. For some people speaking in public makes them feel like they are fighting for their lives. However, the true beauty of public speaking is completely beyond the boundaries of fear and anxiety. All you can only do is to control mind and body and hear you go; you overcome the greatest fear of your life – the fear of public speaking.

In the following TED talk, Mikael Cho, an educator, advises how to trick your brain and steal the show.